determined to attack her, so that Lady Cochrane had
only escaped one peril ashore to be exposed to another
afloat. Having beat to quarters, we opened fire
upon the treasure-ship and other hostile vessels in
the anchorage, the batteries and gun-boats returning
our fire, Lady Cochrane remaining on deck during the
conflict. Seeing a gunner hesitate to fire his
gun, close to which she was standing, and imagining
that his hesitation from her proximity might, if observed,
expose him to punishment, she seized the man’s
arm, and directing the match fired the gun. The
effort was, however, too much for her, as she immediately
fainted, and was carried below.

The treasure-vessel having been crippled, and the
gun-boats beaten off, we left off firing and returned
to our former anchorage, Lady Cochrane again coming
on deck. As soon as the sails were furled, the
men in the tops, and the whole crew on deck, no doubt
by preconcerted arrangement, spontaneously burst forth
with the inspiring strains of their national anthem,
some poet amongst them having extemporized an alteration
of the words into a prayer for the blessing of Divine
providence on me and my devoted wife; the effect of
this unexpected mark of attachment from five hundred
manly voices being so overwhelming as to affect her
Ladyship more than had the din of cannon.

CHAPTER VI.

RETURN TO CALLAO—­LIMA ABANDONED—­HESITATION
OF GEN. SAN MARTIN TO
OCCUPY THE CITY—­LOSS OF THE SAN MARTIN—­EXCESSES
OF THE
SPANIARDS—­PROCLAMATION OF INDEPENDENCE—­SAN
MARTIN ASSUMES AUTOCRATIC
POWER UNDER THE TITLE OF PROTECTOR—­MY REMONSTRANCE—­HIS
REPLY—­MUTINOUS
STATE OF THE SQUADRON FROM NEGLECT.

We arrived at Callao on the 2nd of July, when learning
that Lima was no longer tenable from want of provisions,
and that an intention existed on the part of the Viceroy
to abandon it, I forebore to make any hostile demonstration
which might interfere with such decision, and withdrew
to a distance from the port, awaiting the result,
which could not be far distant, as the people had
become clamorous, and all hope of assistance from
Spain was abandoned.

Having, however, learned, on the 5th of July, that
an attempt was being made by the Viceroy to obtain
a still further prolongation of the armistice, I again
entered the bay with the San Martin—­my
former flag-ship, the O’Higgins, being
absent on the coast.

On the 6th the Viceroy abandoned the city, retaining,
however, the fortresses at Callao, the garrison of
which was reinforced from the troops which had evacuated
Lima; a large quantity of warlike stores being also
deposited in the forts, thus securing greater efficiency
than before.

To the astonishment of the Peruvians and Chilenos,
no movement was made by the liberating army to take
possession of the Capital; and as the Spanish troops
were withdrawn, whilst no government existed, serious
disorders were anticipated, so that the Cabildo
applied to Capt. Basil Hall, then in command
of the British ship of war Conway, for his
assistance to maintain tranquillity and protect public
and private property. Captain Hall immediately
despatched a party of marines, who contributed to
maintain order.